Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Monday Goa-based hotelier, Gaurav Arya. The Enforcement Directorate interrogated Gaurav Arya in connection with a money laundering probe. The probe has been linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, officials said.
Arya arrived at the central probe agency’s office here in Ballard Estate area around 10:30 AM accompanied by his legal team. The ED had summoned Arya last week to join the probe. They did so after recovering some mobile phone messages reportedly sent by actor and Rajput’s live-in partner Rhea Chakraborty to him in 2017. The messages were indicated discussion of certain banned narcotics, officials had said.
The agency will record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), ED officials said.
Arya runs two hotels in Goa. He had earlier told news channels that he has never dealt in narcotics. His his last interaction with Rhea was about three years ago. He added that he will ‘comply’ with all legal procedures.
The hotelier had also said that he never met Rajput, 34. The actor was allegedly found hanging at his duplex flat in the Bandra area here June 14.
The ED has also recently intimated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) about these purported drugs-linked chats. The chats were recovered after ‘cloning’ two mobile phones of Rhea. The ED has already recorded Rhea’s version, under the PMLA, about these chats that purportedly indicate procurement of banned drugs.
Rhea, 28, the main accused in the case, her father Indrajit Chakraborty, brother Showik and multiple staff members of her and Rajput have been grilled by the ED till now. Rhea is currently being grilled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This is the fourth day in succession that Rhea has appeared in front of the CBI. She was interrogated for a marathon nine hours Sunday.